MadMax

Saved.

He finally let me down after a while, he didn't tie me up this time. I have 0 concept of time but it feels like I've been down here forever. I'm starting to think that no one is coming. Maybe my friends don't care about me. Neil has been coming down more frequently, he has been drunk about every time. I take the moments that he is gone to explore the basement, though there isn't much to explore. It takes me about 5 steps to reach the other side of the basement. I cautiously creep up the stairs and found 5 different locks on the door. I am never getting out of here. I lean down and peak under the crack of the door. I see my mom sitting on the couch and Neil nowhere in sight.

"MOM, please help me!" I wail.

She looks towards the door and then grabs the remote and turns the volume of the TV louder, silencing me.

It hits me, she knows. She knows and she's okay with it?! This angers me even more, I begin banging on the door with all my might. I use everything in me and kick the door and continue screaming.

Then instantly, like a sign from god, someone knocks on the front door.

My mom jumps from the couch clearly shocked, and then runs over to the basement door.

"You keep your mouth shut or I swear to god, I will kill you right now." She mutters angrily.

My mom walks over and unlocks the front door.

"Well what can I do for you today sheriff?" she says with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Hi Susan, just doing my rounds. Has Max by chance showed up at home yet?" Hopper says.

Oh my god, it's Hopper! This will probably be my only chance. I run back down the stairs and grab the old rope laying on the ground. I tiptoe to the top of the steps and with my mom's back turned, I slide the rope under the door and swing it around hoping to grab Hopper's attention.

"Gosh, my poor baby. I will call you the second I find her. Please just bring her home." My mom says.

Her phony sympathy disgusts me.

Hopper notices the rope, "Do you mind if I just take a look around, you know so I can cross your home off the list."

I take the signal to pull the rope back before my mom sees.

"Well of course, we have got nothing to hide here. I hate that you would think we would be hiding our dear daughter from you though." She says with a shake in her voice, clearly worried.

Hopper walks in and starts looking around, he walks up to the basement door and notices the locks.

"Why is this locked off?" he states.

"Oh you know Neil and his privacy, that's his man cave." She stutters.

"I'm going to need to go down there." Hopper orders, tired of Susan's games.

"Oh yeah, I completely understand. I just don't have the key for it. Neil does and he isn't home at the moment."

"Alright well, I will come back tonight to check it out. See you soon, Susan" Hopper declares.

"Goodbye officer." She leads him out the door.

Why didn't Hopper save me? He must have a plan. I know he saw the rope. Maybe i'm just not worth saving. All these thoughts are whirling through my head that I didn't even notice the locks being undone from the door.

The door swings open and I look up at my mom expectantly.

"We have to get you out of here before that dingy sheriff returns. Lets go, up!"

"Where are you taking me?!" I yell with tears forming in my eyes.

"Don't worry about it. And stop being such a cry baby." She grabs me by the arm and hauls me out to her car.

She shoves me in the backseat and gets on the phone with Neil. They start arguing and I hear him say that he'll meet her there.

Where are we going, I wonder to myself. She pulls out of the driveway rapidly making me slide across the seats. I re-adjust myself and look out the window.

"Get down moron! Get on the floor, you can't be seen through the window!" She exclaims.

I dodge down for just a minute but I peak out without her noticing. She is speeding down the road like a maniac. We pass by the library and I take my chance. I crack open the door and fall out. She slams on her breaks but I am already running. I see the boys on their bikes. Perfect timing I think. I run their way and start screaming hysterically. They stop and turn around.

"Oh my god! Is that Max?!" Lucas yells.

"GO, GO, come on." Mike says

My mom is right on my tail but the boys get to me first.

"Get on the back of my bike!" Dustin hollers.

I jump on the bike and before you know it, my mom is out of sight.

The boys don't slow down. We end up at Mike's house within 5 minutes. I've never seen them move so fast. Will drops his bike and runs inside. The other boys come over to me and support me as we walk to the front door. Before we can even get up the lawn, Nancy comes running out and picks me up in her arms and carries me in like a baby. She lays me down carefully on the couch. Nancy orders Mike to get the first aid kit, Dustin to get some water, and for Lucas to call the others to get here ASAP. Will sits down next to me rubbing my leg. I notice he is crying but he tries to hide it.

Steve bursts through the door just a few minutes later, Robin running in behind him. They are still in their work uniforms. Robin runs to me and gives me a big hug. I wince and Nancy yells at Robin, "Careful Robin! She's already in a lot of pain." Robin backs off, "Gosh i'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you!." I give her a sympathetic smile so she knows i'm okay.

Nancy finishes cleaning my wounds and bandages me up.

"We need to take you to the hospital, this is just too bad. We need to go now." Nancy announces looking at Steve.

Steve takes the hint and scoops me up in his arms. Everyone piles in the car. Nancy gets in the back with me and Steve lays me down with my head on her lap. Robin jumps in the front and the boys all pile in the back.

"Where is El?" I whisper, the first time I've talked since they found me.

"Oh hon, she'll be here. I promise. She just doesn't know we found you yet. We haven't had time to call her or Hopper." Nancy says, wiping the tears out of my eyes.